Africa: ‘Sexually-transmitted grades' kills quality education

DAKAR, 10 October 2008 (IRIN) - From ‘Sexually Transmitted Grades' to ‘BF', or bordel fatigue, which refers to exhaustion from multiple sexual activities with teachers, this slang hints at the prevalence of exploitation in Africa's learning environments.

The lexis of abuse was discovered during research for Plan International's (PI) latest report, ‘Learn Without Fear,' part of the organisation's global campaign to end violence in schools.

“We've been aware of the problem for a long time but we've had to just go on anecdotal evidence of violence and its effects,” John Chaloner, PI Regional Director for West and Central Africa, told IRIN. “What this report has done is to talk to children, to teachers and to parents. So now we're dealing with evidence not hearsay”.

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